‘The wonderful thing about the web,’ he said, ‘is that we can change it, hon. Online publication is so much more forgiving than print. And one of the reasons I had you come in this morning is that I thought we might be able to get your article up as the lead story, if you’re willing to work with me on it.’ He straightened the collar of her jacket, pushed it back slightly and ran a finger along the open lapel of the blouse. ‘You know, tweak it a bit here and there.’
‘All right,’ she said, tugging at her jacket and stepping out of his breathing space until she could feel the wall against her spine. ‘I’ll go get my laptop, and we can work on it, though wouldn’t it have been easier for you just to email me the changes you wanted? I could have done them from home.’
He stepped into her space again. ‘I’m a hands-on sort of bloke, honey, and if you want your story to lead, then we’ll have to work on it together.’
She stood very still, amazingly calm under the circumstances. He placed one hand on the wall just above her shoulder and the other pushed the jacket down over one arm and skimmed the open neckline of her blouse again.
‘Is this what you had me come in for?’ she asked.
He offered her a twitch of a smile. ‘Oh, don’t tell me you weren’t anticipating it, honey. I mean, look how you’re dressed.’ Then his business voice returned. ‘You’re talented and enthusiastic, Jill. I can make sure that you go far in your career.’ He leaned forward and his wet lips brushed her ear. ‘Or not.’
She couldn’t believe how calm she was. It was strange. There was no panic, no fear, no real rage even, just an icy distancing she never remembered feeling before. ‘What do you want me to do, Mr Devlin?’ she said above the strange buzzing in her ear, a sound not unlike the buzz of insects in a field on a hot summer day.
He chuckled, and his breath was heavy and damp against her face. ‘There, that’s better now, isn’t it? I love a cooperative employee.’ He slid a pudgy thumb across the outline of one nipple and sighed. ‘First, I want you to lose the jacket, unbutton that lovely silk top of yours and give me a good look at those tits you’re always pointing at me. And when I’ve had enough time to examine them thoroughly, I want you over my desk, skirt up, arse cheeks parted so I can have my choice of what you’ve got down there. Are we clear, honey?’
The buzzing grew louder. But strangely the world around her seemed sharply focused, more detailed than she could ever remember it being – the smell of cold coffee in a paper cup on his desk, the sound of a jackhammer on a nearby street, the tiny mole just in front of the man’s right ear, the growing crescents of sweat beneath his armpits sharp with the acid scent of nerves overriding the citrus tang of deodorant. ‘Oh, we’re very clear,’ she said, caressing her BlackBerry again. ‘Clear as a bell.’
She placed the flat of her hand against his chest and shoved him hard. He gave a little grunt of anticipation, like maybe he was OK with a woman taking the upper hand. He had no idea, she thought. He stank of his own lust, and she could damn near read his mind. He thought he was in, he thought she was kinky enough to be turned on by him, the little toad. And when she’d pushed him back until his bum rested against his desk, he practically quivered with excitement. The laugh that came from her throat startled even her. The man was pathetic, and her time was way too valuable to waste on such a creature.
She spoke as calmly as if she had just told him the football scores. ‘You disgusting little worm. Do you really think there’s anything you could do to persuade me to let me put your filthy little cock inside me? You have two hands, Devlin, I would suggest you fuck yourself, and, while you’re at it, fuck this job because I no longer need it.’
She heard the pop of joints as he catapulted off the desk into a stiff-necked stance, eyes bulging, chest inflating like a balloon. ‘You filthy slut! Clear your desk, you little bitch. I want you out of my sight. Now!’
‘Oh, don’t worry, Devlin. I’m leaving.’ She stepped back just beyond the range of his anger, and it really was as though her right hand didn’t know what her left hand was doing. ‘But before I go, you’ll agree to make sure my unexpected leaving is nicely smoothed over with HR. You’ll also make sure that I’m very well compensated for putting up with you, Devlin, very well. And finally you’ll make sure there’ll be the stellar references I deserve for my CV.’
‘You fucking little bitch.’ He lunged for her but she stepped back, pulled the BlackBerry from her pocket and hit the playback button.